Construction of dome-shaped roofs



Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19,1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Man-z f n BY ifTOZ/IE) Nov. 6, 1956 w.RUTTEN 2,769,409

CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR! l/Aarae farm-w w BY /6 (6 2/ 56 5 W .z/5z-.

IffDBI EK Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN 2,769,409

CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 SheetsSheet 3INVENTOR.

BY 314 MW Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN 2,769,409

CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 SheetsSheet 4 51/6, FI GJJ' KMRMMMP.\ m 0 w 62 1 N V EN TOR. M44 752 Farr! Nov. 6, 1956w. RUTTEN CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June19 1952 INVENTOR. #44 7'5? Kerri/v United States fatent O 7 CONSTRUCTIONoF-nom-sHAPEnRooFs Walter Rutten,"PlaiiifieId, Ili. sApplication'June19, 1952,"Seria1'No.294;3S0 "6 Claims. cums-'32 Myinvention relates to improvements in the con- :s'truction of"dome-shaped roofs employed i on a silos and :other "similar buildingsWhere :rdome-shaped roofs are desirable.

-My invention relates more particularly "to the construction ofdome-shaped roofs of the: typeswhich employ :a plurality ofarcuately'ashaped-roof segments'fconnected by: :intermeshing orinterlapping' marginalaslock :Ichannels rand-which are-fastenedat'theiri'upper-zends?to.:a center ring-and'at theirbottornends to thetOPISilQ hoop. -Silo'roofs of the type to which this.appIicati'OnfisIdi- 'rected'may, be :of the general type shown inUnitedTStates Patent No., 2,151,234, issued to Peter-'Rutten and Walter:Rutten on March 21, 1-939.

'The principal= object .of the-presentairrvention ismto iprovideimprovements in the. design; construc-tionaand' as- .sembly ofdome-shaped 'roofsof' the typerdescribed.

'-A further object ofithe invention 'iS ItO -PIOVidE'IEZD im- :provedconstruction whereby amore 'rigid-and stronger .roofr-is' obtained. x

further: object of theinvention iis to providesam im- ;provedconstruction of theroofdoor sandsmeans associsated 1 therewith'foreguiding' its "movement during "opening on-closingof the same.

A further object of the invention is to pr'ovideaimproved dooropening-means on both the inside:- and-'T'the outside-of :the silo roof.

A; further object of 'theinvention -is tofprovideran im-;provedconstruction of roof cap and means for-fastenin 2the: same inposition onthe roof. 7

A furthers-object of the invention .-is-:torprovide:imgprovedanchoring-means foriattaching the lower ends-of the-roof:sheets to the silo hoop.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the followingdescription in--Whi'ch reference :is had 1to' the-accompanying drawings,upon which: 7

Fig. l-ist-a sider elevational view of a dome-shaped roof built inaccordance with .my improvedrconstruction;

Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional viewthereof;

3 issan enlargedscrosssectional view throughirthe :roofi capsandassociated parts; 7 g

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a: cross-sectional view through-the center ring rand: doorsupport bracket, taken on line 5 5 vof Fig. 1;

,Fig 6 is.a fragmentaryexploded.view-showingzgen- :er a llythe roofcap,center ring, dooruand fragments of :the .roof' sheets or segments; I

l Figi 7-is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the nroofcaptaken on.line 7:7 of Fig. 6; a

Fig. .8 is. a fragmentary. perspective. view of aportion f the, roof andsilo hoop showing .the mannerdn. which the rooffsheets-or segments are.connected? to. the-same 'zfatfltheir lower edge; t

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view through a pair oftadjacent roof'sheets.and. one off the auxiliary .anchor feet,

is taken on-li-ne 9-9 of Fig.7 8;

iFig..l"0fjis, a front perspective view of one of thesaux- 'iha'ryanchorfeet showing in dotteddines the way 'the 2,769,409 Patented Nov.6, 1956 lower-end of the same is bent upwardly about the silo 'hoop;

sheets or segments provided with fixed anchor members,

and istaken on the 1ine'1212 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 13 is an exploded perspectiveview showing" the parts oftheifixedanchor member with thesilo hoop being :shownin cross-section inthe eye bolt;

YF-ig. l-4' is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of thefixed anchor member, roof sheets and silo hoop;

Fig. "15 is a section thereof taken generally on the :lineIS-TIS of Fig14;

Fig: l6 is a? fragmentary' perspective view of adjoining roof sheets 'orsegments showing one of the locking lugs which I'employ in positiontherein;

:Fig. 17: is a perspective view of'the locking lug;

"PigCIS'iS a front perspective-view of thedoor track ,supportxbracket;

;-Fig.:l9'=is a diagrammatic plan sectional View taken :generally'ab'ovethe door track andassociated parts;

gFig 2O is :a side elevational viewofthe 'doorhandle mechanism;

rFig.,;-21 isoa cross-sectional-view showing the'door handle impositionand istaken generally on the line -21-121210fFigu l;

Fig.222; isacross-sectional view through-"the door and handle mechanismtaken generally on the-line 22 22 ofFigi-I;

Fig. 23,.isa cross-sectional. view through thetrack and support bracketat the upper end of the same taken generally "on the line 2323 of Fig;19; I

Fig. 124v is -.a cross-sectional view showing i the attachment of thetrack at the opposite end and is taken- -generally on the line 24-:24 ofFig. 19; and

-Fig. v25 -is adetail sectional viewtaken-on theline -25:25 of Fig. 22showing the manner-in which-the ha'ndless are fastened on theturning-bolt.

In Fig. l of the drawingsil have shown a side elevational' view ofa'dome-shaped roof of the type to which :this invention relates. Theroof maybe formed by con- =necting-together a plurality of arcuate sector-shaped seg- :mentsdl), Whose non-parallel edgeslare bent uponthemselves :and adapted to interlock withthe edges of'adjacent sectionsin a manner to permit limited movementbetween the sections. Thus, forexample, as shown'in Fig.

16, the right non-parallel edge of a section 10 is formed .with :afiange'12, having :theivertical wall 12a, the top 1211, -aside 120, aninwardly turned Ifiange 12d and an upwardly 'bentflange 12a. Each of thesectionsll) has an opposite non-parallel edge which has a ledge formedwith an upwardly-bent edge 1 a'top ledge14a, and a downwardly 'bentedger14b. It will be noted that-the downwardly-turned edge 14!) isspacedfrom the main portion ofthe roof section so that there is sufiicientspace to permit the portion 12d of an adjacentroofsection to slidebeneath it,

-The above described-bent-over edges are adapted to beinterlockedby-sliding one 'bent-overedge into the edgeof-the-adjacent-section, this being done advantageously by starting thebottom edge portion 14' of a'section to beadded into the upper end ofthe fiange-12a-ofanadjacentsection andsliding the sectiondownwardlyuntil it is 7 in .the correct position in interlocking-engagement throughout-its length with'the-section to -which it'isjoined. In this general manner the roof structure-of silos made up ofinterconnecting sectors is assembled.

Referring now to Figs. 1 m4, the roof sectors 10 may be" connected attheir upper ends to'a center ring;-16 by'bolt members 18 or in any othersuitable manner,' the lower ends of the sectors ltl being connected byanchor 3 members 20 and 22 to the silo hoop 24 that is usually foundadjacent the top end of the usual silo 26. The center ring 16 is alsoadapted to support a center cap 28 which'rnay compromise separablesections 28a, 28b and 280, fastened together to form a cone-shapedstructure by interconnecting edge ledges 3i) and 32, the assemblyincluding a central opening 34 at the top of the same. I provide a pairof cone-shaped washer members 36 on both sides of the opening 34, andfasten a stove bolt 38 the'rethrough. A nut 39 securely connects thewashers andthe cap together. i p

The cap as thus assembled may be supported over the center ring 16 bymeans of a plurality of tie straps 40 which are fastened to the centerring 16 and bent upwardly at an angle to receive the bolt 38 through anyone of a series of openings in their ends. I provide a wing nut 42 forfastening the cap member securely to the tie straps.

In this manner it can be seen thatthe top cap can be easily assembledfrom flat comparatively thin sheet metal, and by the use of tie strapsfromthe center ring, the same may be fastened down securely over the topof the roof after the roof sections have been assembled together. Thisstructure insures a tight, strong and rigid top cap and one which is noteasily capable of being blown off by high winds or which will permitrain or'wind to enter the top of the silo roof. In addition, the top capassists the bolts 18 in keeping the top ends of the roof sections firmlyin position.

The top ring 16. as shown, may be in the form of an angle iron adaptedto be bent into a circle with the meeting edges 16a and 16b fastenedtogether by a strap member 44 of comparatively rigid metal which is bentas shown in Fig. about the channel-shaped ring member 16 and a pair ofembossments 16c made therein to eifectiv'ely hold the strap member onthe ring and the ends of the ring together. The strap member has a ledge46 provided with an opening 48 to receive a bolt member 50 that extendsthrough an opening in the top of the door edges of the anchor member 22provides rigidity at this point so that thesame will notrbecome bentwhen the generally formed to the hollow square shape shown in- Fig. 11,having a slot 21 adjacent one side of the same and having the lower endof the tube thus formed flattened out, as shown at 23,'at the lower endof the same. The tubular section may be slid upwardly from the lower endof two adjacent roof sections 10 as shown in Fig 9, to interlock betweenthe interlocking edges of the sections, the walls 20a, 20b and 200 ofthe foot 20 engaging lower ends of the connected sheets are securelyheld down about the edge of the silo.

The fixed anchor members 22, as best shown in Figs.

12 to'15, are channel shaped with bolt or rivet openings 22a, oneadjacent the upper end and two adjacent'the lower end, the lowerend'having an outwardly bent portion 22b with an elongated opening 220therein. 'The -anchor member 22, as best shown in Fig. 12, is adapted toembrace themedial ribs 10:: of each roof section 10 and be fastenedthereto by bolts or screws as shown,

with the lower end of the anchor member depending downwardly below thelower edge of the roof sheets. 7 I fasten the same to the silo hoop 24by means of a hook bolt 56 which passes through an opening in a U-shapedclip member 58, the opening 220, a washer 60 and a fastening nut 62. Theclip member which embraces the be moved.

bolt is fastened.

As previously explained, the door 52 may be mounted by means of the bolt50 upon the strap member 44 at its upper end. In order to open the doorit is desirable to swing it about the bolt 50 either to the right orleft as may be desired. In the construction shown, I have provided meansfor swinging the door to the right and guiding the. same throughout itsmovement so that gusts of Wind will not blow the door about its pivot orbend it out of shape if it should become loose. Thus as shown, thedooris provided with a'pair of guide brackets 60 which have a loop thereinto surround a channel-shaped track mem-- ber 62. The track 62 as shown,has a portion 64 which is fastened by means of a U-bolt 66 to the silohoop 24,.

the U-bolt assembly including a plate 68 and a pair of nut members 70for fastening the plate down against the track 64. The track then has anoutwardly bent portion 64a and an elongated portion 64b parallel to thehoop 24, the end 6412 terminating at an upwardly angle in a portion 640which is fastened to a bracket72 supported on one of the hook bolts 56which fasten the anchor means 22 to the silo hoop 24.

The bracket 72, as can be seen in Fig. '18, is provided with a flattenedportion having a plurality of bolt holes 74 so that the height of theend of the track 64c may be adjusted as desired, the track fittingbetween the channelshaped end 76 of the bracket and being held in placeby a bolt member 78 which fastens through the openings 79 handles. Thehandle assembly may further include a pair of the nut members 90. Thus,when either the handle 80 or the handle 82 is operated the door latchassembly will an upwardly directed arm 82a on the door handle 82 and mayinclude a bracket 92 pivotally connected thereto on a pivot 94. Thelatch mechanism may include the elongated bolt 96 which may beadjustably secured on the ledge 98 of the bracket 92 and carry suspendedtherefrom a hook member 99 which in the raised posi tion shown in Fig.20 engages the silo hoop 24 to prevent movement of the door either awayfrom the silo or about its pivot bolt 50. The other hook member 101 mayextend down below the bottom edge of the track member 62 to limit thedistance which the door may be pulled away from the edge of the silowhen it is open; Both of the hook members are adapted to lie within thecenter door channel groove 52a of the door 52. 7

After the .roof has been assembled and in order to secure the greatestrigidity possible, 'I have provided locking lugs 7 which are preferablydriven into the space at the interlocking edges of adjacent roof sheetsat designated locations. Thus, for example, in a 17 foot roof, I preferto have five rows of locking lugs driven into place as shown to providethe maximum of rigidity and strength to the roof. ,In order to preventworkmen from placing these lugs indiscriminately, I haveprovided indiciaembossed in the inner surface of the roof sheets, as shown in Fig. 16,at all of the points Where the lugs 7 are to be located.

It will be noted that each of thelugs 7 has a plurality of outwardlypressed ribs 7a which engage in the surface of the edges .of the roofsheets to securely hold Both of the handles ing of the roof'during highwind oeunder other conditions. As a esult i hew se.. tsthe r bs 7 n h s.r h merelintonosit on, they are u y x tom s te t t e i o-r A a ur hrnieansm f. secur ng: greater rigid y an s ren th: r ts. ofu hei ype. erihedtl have 1 formed thev ofi he qabout n. .arclA:w which m yi veffectbe to the diameterof the silo for which the roof is provided. Thus byforming the roof sheets so that a radius is formed around-thelowenendofthe roof-sheets so that the roof has the same circumference generally asthe silo, the individual sheets through their interlocking flanges havea tendency to brace each other much more effectively than if the roofsheets were straight rather than curved.

With the construction above described, when the roof segments 10 areassembled to form the conical dome, the marginal flanges of one segmentwill be interlocked with the marginal flanges of adjacent segments, andwhen thus assembled there will be freedom for lateral spreading andcontracting of the segments to adjust the conical dome to the exact sizeof the silo to which it is applied. After this has been done, the lugs 7are hammered into position, as previously described, and a strong, rigidconically shaped dome roof has been provided. In view of the fact thateach of the roof segments is rigidly anchored to the silo hoop which isaround the top of the silo wall, it can be seen that the possibility ofany of the roof sheets or the entire dome being broken away or loosenedby a strong wind is greatly lessened.

Due to the construction of the silo door and the manner in which it islatched either in open or closed position, there is no possibility ofthe door being blown away or being bent or multilated by rough or hardusage of silo operators. Further, the provision of both inner and outerdoor handles for opening the silo door provides convenient access to theinterior of the dome from either the inside or the outside of the silo.

By reason of fastening the roof cap to strap members which extendupwardly from the top ring and are secured directly to the apex of thecap, the cap may be pulled down effectively over the edge of the topring and the ends of the roof sectors so that the possibility of rain orsnow getting into the roof under the roof cap is largely eliminated.Further, this construction provides an additional support for holdingdown the top ends of the roof sectors after they have once been boltedto the top ring.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of theinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made in the exact details shown, and I do notwish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure andprotect by Letters Patent of the United States l. The combination with adome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuatesector shaped roof segments having interlocking flanges, an L-shapedring member attached to the upper end of each segment and a hoopsurrounding a silo to which said domeshaped roof is anchored about itstop, of a sector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at itsupper end about a bolt on said ring member, a track connected to saidsilo hoop adjacent the lower end of said door, said track spaced awayfrom and generally concentric to said hoop and inclining upwardly fromsaid hoop and means associated with said door for guiding the lower endthereof on said track, said means including a pair of brackets attachedto the lower end of said door, each racket having a loop portionencircling said track.

2. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of aplurality of arcuate sector-shaped root. segments having interlockingedge. flanges an L; shaped ring member attached .tothe .uppenendof-allof said segments and a circular hoop surroundinga silouto which saiddome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuatesector-shaped-door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upperend on abolt on .said ring, member and adapted to swingsto open position in anare about the, same, an arcuate door track connected to said silo hoopadj acent the, lower endof .said door. and: extending upwardly at anangle around a portion of said siloroof, and latch means at the lowerend of said door forlock ing said doortosaid hoop andto said track: ineither a closed or in an open position.

3. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of aplurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlockingedge flanges, an L- shaped ring member attached Ito the upper end of allof said segments and a circular hoop surrounding a silo to which saiddome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shapeddoor for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on saidring member and adapted to swing to open position in an are about thesame, an arcuate track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the lowerend of said door and extending upwardly at an angle around a portion ofsaid silo roof, a bracket having a loop encircling said track mounted onthe lower end of said door for guiding said door on said track, andlatch means at the lower end of said door for locking the door to saidhoop and to said track in either a closed or in an open position.

4. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of aplurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlockingedge flanges, an-L- shaped ring member attached to the upper end of allof said segments and a circular hoop surrounding .a silo to which saiddome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shapeddoor for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on saidring member and adapted to swing to open position in an are about thesame, an arcuate door track parallel to and connected to said silo hoopadjacent the lower end of said door, mean connected to the lower end ofsaid door for guiding the same on said track, and latch means forlocking the same to said hoop and to said track in either an open or aclosed position.

5. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of aplurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlockingedge flanges, and L- shaped ring member attached to the upper end of allof said segments and a circular hoop surrounding a silo to which saiddome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shapeddoor for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on saidring member and adapted to swing to open position in an are about thesame, an arcuate track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the lowerend of said door, said track parallel to said silo hoop for 'a portionof its length and then extending at an angle in an upward direction, abracket having a loop encircling said track mounted on the lower end ofsaid door for guiding said door on said track, and latch means at thelower end of said door for locking the door to said hoop and to saidtrack in either a closed or in an open position, said latch meansincluding an operating handle on 'both the inside and the outside ofsaid door, a pair of hook-shaped members suspended therefrom, oneadapted to engage said hoop and one adapted to engage said track.

6. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of aplurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlockingedge flanges, and L- shaped ring member attached to the upper end of allof said segments and a circular hoop surrounding a circular silo towhich said dome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuatesector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end ona bolt on said eryor circumferential curvature of the silo, an 'arcuate5 track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the'lower end of said doorparallel to the lower edge of said door and then extending from the dooropening upwardly at an angle around said silo, a bracket mounted on thelower end of said door, said bracket having a loop encircling 10 saidtrack for guiding said door on said track as the door is moved open orshut, and latch means for locking said door to said hoop and track ineither a closed or in an open position.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Ware; f Apr. 2, Martin May 12, Martin Aug. 4,

' Douthitt Sept. 18, Hanson Oct. 17, Cowin Jan. 16,

FOREIGN PATENTS v Italy of

